UK musicians can now apply for up to £8,000 in funding to support domestic tours, as the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) opens the second phase of its UK Artist Touring Fund (UKAT). The initiative is designed to address the growing financial pressures facing artists touring small and medium-sized venues.
The latest funding round follows a £300,000 injection from the LIVE Trust, which collects money through a voluntary £1 contribution on tickets for selected major arena and stadium shows. The new investment allows the maximum grant to increase from £7,000 in the fund’s first phase to £8,000, although artists can receive no more than 40% of their eligible touring expenditure.
The UKAT fund was launched earlier this year in partnership with the Music Managers Forum and the Musicians‘ Union. Its first round supported 26 artists and 211 tour dates at grassroots and mid-sized venues, helping to keep shows on the road that may otherwise have been financially unviable.
Phase Two also expands what artists can include in their applications, allowing a combination of headline shows, support slots and festival appearances, as well as tentative bookings that are later confirmed. Applications opened on August 26 and close on September 11, with the FAC also increasing support for artists based in the North East, Tees Valley and West Yorkshire.
